Who's on first? That old baseball question has a new answer: Spider-Man.

In a move that has purists howling, Major League Baseball has agreed to decorate its bases -- and pitching-mound rubbers and on-deck circles -- with a spider-web pattern as part of a promotion for the release of Sony Corp.'s "Spider-Man 2" next month.

The superhero sequel is set to open in theaters June 30. "'Spider-Man 2' Weekend" will start Friday, June 11, and all 15 MLB teams playing at home have agreed to participate for one or more games.

The deal is baseball's latest attempt to develop a splashier national marketing image. "In an ultracompetitive sports-entertainment environment, you have to take risks," says Tim Brosnan, MLB's executive vice president for business.

Outfield walls have been billboards since the 19th century. In the 1990s, the Florida Marlins painted their stadium's foul poles to look like pencils for a Office Depot sponsorship. But the Spider-Man promotion is believed to be the first time ads will appear on the bases. "It's not something we've ever come across," says Claudette Burke, a reference librarian at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Under a design nearing approval by MLB, the center of the top of first, second and third bases will be adorned with a 7.5-inch-square "Spider-Man 2" logo consisting of black and yellow webbing against a bright red background. Home plate will remain white.

The move is sure to alienate fans who view the baseball diamond as hallowed ground. Baseball historian John Thorn calls the field "a sort of a magic circle to which rules accrue and adhere. And if you violate the terms, you run the risk of offending the gods."

NBC Sports and HBO broadcaster Bob Costas says ads on the bases will "take away that whole beautiful vista of a ballpark" -- and also reflects baseball's schizoid relationship with its past. "On the one hand they sell history whenever it suits them, and on the other hand they disrespect it," says Mr. Costas, author of "Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball." "It isn't a matter of treating the game like it's religion. But I think people have lost the understanding of what the dignity of something is. Not everything is for sale."

The National Hockey League lets teams sell ads embedded in the ice. But neither the National Football League nor the National Basketball Association has given field or court space to advertisers. "The game itself is sacred, and we're not going to tinker with how it is played or perceived," says an NFL spokesman, Brian McCarthy.

MLB executives say they respect baseball's traditions but need to attract younger fans. As for the critics, MLB President Bob DuPuy says, "These are the same people that didn't like interleague play and didn't like the wild card" playoff format. Having decorative bases "really doesn't have an effect on the game within the foul lines," he says. "It's not like we are going to have a red-and-black ball. The game itself won't be affected."

MLB's willingness to alter the field is part of the larger pressure across sports to accommodate sponsors. MLB has been viewed as lagging in pop-culture sponsorship, especially compared with the NFL and NBA. "Baseball is recognizing they have value in being a selling tool for these big sponsors," says Tom Boyd, an associate professor of sports marketing at California State University at Fullerton. In addition to promotional bases, pitching rubbers and on-deck circles, the Spider-Man deal includes stadium signage, movie trailers on scoreboards, Spider-Men climbing light towers and giveaways like masks and foam hands.

Geoffrey Ammer, world-wide marketing president for Sony's Columbia/TriStar Motion Picture Group, says executives originally wanted to outfit the netting behind home plate with Spider-Man webbing. That was scrapped because it would have distracted pitchers and fielders, and the idea was expanded. According to a person familiar with the deal, Columbia/TriStar is spending $3 million to $4 million on the promotion, including television ad time. Mr. Ammer declined to discuss spending.

Teams' participation in the promotion is voluntary. Initially leery, some team marketing directors called other clubs to gauge whether the spider-web bases crossed a line. "We all wondered about that a little bit," says Patrick Klinger, marketing vice president for the Minnesota Twins. But, he says, "it's coming from Major League Baseball. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for us."

Columbia/TriStar insisted on participation by big-market teams. One factor that helped persuade clubs to play ball: more money. Teams such as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will receive more than $100,000 each, while those in other markets will get around half that, club executives say. Jacqueline Parkes, MLB's senior vice president of marketing and advertising, says payments depend on the level of participation and the value of the markets to the studio.

As a result, the deal will contribute to revenue disparities among teams, one of baseball's biggest problems. Still, a prepackaged promotion with guaranteed cash was a big draw. "It's found money," says Jim Bloom, consumer-marketing director for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Another plus: Teams in smaller towns get to be part of a national event. "We don't get a lot of lights in the sky for movie premieres in Kansas City," says Charlie Seraphin, the Kansas City Royals' vice president for sales and marketing.

DJF33

05-05-2004, 10:47 AM

The Reds are in Cleveland that weekend. So, does that mean only Cleveland gets the extra dough?
All three games are on the TV. I am interested to see what it looks like. I don't kow if I am totally against the concept, but I definitely hate the fact that some teams will receive more money for doing the same exact thing. It would have been real easy for Bud to just say 'how much is it worth to you overall'. The movie people say 4 million, and then Bud could just split it up among the teams. I don't understand why everything in baseball has to be economically unfair. Its almost like MLB tries hard to make it this way.

zombie-a-go-go

05-05-2004, 10:58 AM

:rolleyes:

Why not just have all the players dress up in spider-man costumes?

:rolleyes:

REDREAD

05-05-2004, 11:05 AM

I think Doc Octopus would be a killer addition to our bullpen. The Green Goblin would
also cover a lot of ground in the OF :lol:

I really not too offended. In fact, I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner. It's still fun to watch/listen to the games, but it's not like it's a religion or anything. So I really don't see it as a descration issue.

Roy Tucker

05-05-2004, 11:05 AM

I guess I'm a purist, whatever that means... My first thought was "Selig is a *****". But I guess it's all just part of the changing times.

Baseball historians will have fun with trying to figure out why there were spider webs on the bases in the early 2000's.

I can't wait for "Casey beats the throw to first. First base, brought to you by Visa".

NICK5

05-05-2004, 11:09 AM

This will be dumbest event in the history of baseball. Can Bud give me some advetising space for my home made porn movie i want to sell. lol

Chip R

05-05-2004, 11:11 AM

Can Bud give me some advetising space for my home made porn movie i want to sell. lolUh, I didn't really need to hear that. :eek:

Redsland

05-05-2004, 11:42 AM

Well, like Bob DuPuy said, it isn't like they're going to use a red and black ball. Although…that gives me an idea… :idea:

RedsBaron

05-05-2004, 11:48 AM

Could Jimmy Haynes be equipped with Spiderman's "web-shooters" so he could grab back some of the gopher balls he throws?

Unassisted

05-05-2004, 11:53 AM

I won't complain until Bud arranges to put Jim Carrey's face on the ball. They can load the bases and the pitching rubber up with as many logos as a NASCAR team and it won't bother me. :)

The camel's nose came under this tent when MLB started putting those ads behind the batter. This will be much less conspicuous.

Dan

05-05-2004, 11:53 AM

My manhood is 5,423 divided by 603. Yes it is sick I know that, but it is even worse if you did the math.

Your manhood is only 9 years old? :mhcky21:

Redsland

05-05-2004, 11:59 AM

Actually, I really like the idea of making the backstop's net look like a web. Too bad they couldn't pull it off.

Tony Cloninger

05-05-2004, 12:06 PM

How about Electro and the Shoker for the bullpen?

Their arms are electric!

RedFanAlways1966

05-05-2004, 12:44 PM

Ironic... some players may be caught in a spider's web of lies. BALCO.

Col_ IN Reds fan

05-05-2004, 01:01 PM

I have an idea how about promoting the movie Dumb and Dumber , maybe Selig and Lindner could do something with that.

Maybe make a season long theme for the Reds season , maybe call it Conspiracy Theory .

Or a short list

Artificail Intellegence

Is their a movie called "The Fraud" ?

High Crimes or finally

The Jerk

smith288

05-05-2004, 01:01 PM

MLB executives say they respect baseball's traditions but need to attract younger fans. As for the critics, MLB President Bob DuPuy says, "These are the same people that didn't like interleague play and didn't like the wild card" playoff format. Having decorative bases "really doesn't have an effect on the game within the foul lines," he says. "It's not like we are going to have a red-and-black ball. The game itself won't be affected."

What does decorating bases with stupid Spider man logos have to do with trying to draw younger fans? Kids dont go to baseball games in hopes of seeing Spider man ads everywhere.

jmcclain19

05-05-2004, 01:12 PM

Just another step towards the European style sports advertisement.

See the soccer jersey's with the Sponsors name 3 to 4 times the size of the team's logo across the front. See the NFL Europe jersey's dotted with ads. That's the future.

Selig and Co a few years back brought up the topic of including small ads on the sleeves of players unis. Don't think that idea just went away.

It's coming, a way to put more money in the owners pocket.

Redsland

05-05-2004, 01:13 PM

What does decorating bases with stupid Spider man logos have to do with trying to draw younger fans?
He meant to say "young republican fans."

:D

Chip R

05-05-2004, 01:42 PM

What does decorating bases with stupid Spider man logos have to do with trying to draw younger fans? Kids dont go to baseball games in hopes of seeing Spider man ads everywhere.Love the new avatar, Smith. :lol: :thumbup:

Justin Einerson

05-05-2004, 01:43 PM

eeek... gotta love bud :idea:

919191

05-05-2004, 01:46 PM

This just sounds like a bad dream.

RANDY IN INDY

05-05-2004, 01:51 PM

Just another wonderful addition to the game of baseball by Bud Selig. :rolleyes:

smith288

05-05-2004, 01:55 PM

Love the new avatar, Smith. :lol: :thumbup:
Aint it great??? LOL

Chip R

05-05-2004, 01:56 PM

Guess what, sports fans? Doing this is against baseball's own rules. But so is ownership in more than one team but what's a rules violation amongst friends, huh?

1.06
First, second and third bases shall be marked by white canvas bags, securely attached to the ground as indicated in Diagram 2. The first and third base bags shall be entirely within the infield. The second base bag shall be centered on second base. The bags shall be 15 inches square, not less than three nor more than five inches thick, and filled with soft material.

1.07
The pitcher's plate shall be a rectangular slab of whitened rubber, 24 inches by 6 inches. It shall be set in the ground as shown in Diagrams 1 and 2, so that the distance between the pitcher's plate and home base (the rear point of home plate) shall be 60 feet, 6 inches.

Red Leader

05-05-2004, 01:56 PM

Bud Selig is the biggest freaking moron ever. Period. Revenue disparity has to be the biggest problem in baseball right now, or one of them at least. So what does Bud do? He makes it worse with stupid little things like this that hurt the integrity of the game to boot. He is a *****, and he's in the process of totally killing this game.

TRF

05-05-2004, 02:16 PM

i am 36 years old.

i am married with three kids.

i read comics with my 12 year old son, and we both love baseball.

i will not watch that weekend. REDREAD, it is a religon to me. and I will not watch as pud desecrates one of my churches.

RANDY IN INDY

05-05-2004, 03:02 PM

He is a *****, and he's in the process of totally killing this game.

Agreed!

smith288

05-05-2004, 03:02 PM

You mean your 12 yr old son doesnt go to the games in hopes to see ads on bases? Surely you are mistaken.

KronoRed

05-05-2004, 03:43 PM

What a dumb dumb dumb idea, so when Bud finally kills off the MLB do you think Cincy will have a team in the new leagues? :D

Marc D

05-05-2004, 03:52 PM

Did I read that article right? 3-4M total?? So Pud is willing to open this Pandoras box and p.o. more fans for 3-4M for the whole of MLB? Thats just ignorant.

When the day comes that MLB teams look like NASCAR, why do I get the distinct feeling the Reds will be the ones sponsored by Chico's Bail Bonds??

Justin Einerson

05-05-2004, 04:42 PM

Bud Selig... it's very hard for me to not flip off his metal face that hangs outside of the Bradley Center every time I go to a Bucks game. But, I try to be respectful, so I just stand there and scowl at it for awhile.. I can't wait until he has nothing to do with the Brewers and especially nothing to do with baseball.

BTW: Have you guys been to yankeessuck.com? It's classic, check it out.

http://www.yankeessuck.com/blog/archives/2004_04.htm#000054

Ravenlord

05-05-2004, 04:44 PM

Bud Selig is cancer on baseball...as long as he remains, baseball will get sicker and sicker.

zombie-a-go-go

05-05-2004, 05:23 PM

What bothers me, more than anything alse about this debacle (and others certainly to come in the future), is that the Commish has to know that the majority of fans out there will absolutely loathe this idea. yet he does it anyway. What is his motivation (that's a Psych101 question) for this? Does he really think that a sleazy money-grab promotion like this is going to bring more fans to MLB than it drives away? Does anyone think that the populace are going to stand up and stare at the spidey-bags and think to themselves: "Wow! I've always thought baseball was slow and boring, but with advertisements on the bags, it just RAWKS!" ? The money is nothing! Nothing!

Next thing you know, Estee Lauder will be shilling cosmetics on statues of the Virgin Mary.

I shudder. Shuddering is taking place right at this very moment.

Of course, I also have a cold.

zombie-a-go-go

05-05-2004, 05:24 PM

Where can I find the address for the Commissioner's office? I'm writing him a letter.

Redny

05-05-2004, 05:24 PM

This stinks, I wonder what (or where) is for sale next? :thumbdn:

RFS62

05-05-2004, 05:32 PM

I guess I'm a purist, whatever that means... My first thought was "Selig is a *****".

I agree with your first thought.

:mad:

tremere

05-05-2004, 08:32 PM

PATHETIC. It is sad when Major League Baseball has to come to this with their greed. As if there isn't enough greed in the game, now the game is becoming a total cartoon like horse racing is with its jockeys wearing ads on their pants. This is so sad.

Matt700wlw

05-05-2004, 08:43 PM

Selig sold out a long time ago

2001MUgrad

05-05-2004, 10:27 PM

I'm not so sure this is an all out bad plan. Eventually all sports will have something of the sort implemented. I can understand it being bad from a baseball purists standpoint, but at the same time steroids have done and are more to damage the sport than about any advertisement would.

In a way I see this as a possible good thing for the so-called "small" market or minded teams. If eventually some sort of advertising like this becomes the norm. It would certainly generate lots of additional money. If a NASCAR team can get a sponsor to pay $15 million for a 36 race schedule what would a bud light logo be worth over the course of a 162 game schedule? That would give these owners some additional money that they don't have that they claim to need to compete so they can have a payroll and not "lose" money. On the same token a sponsorship with the Yankees would be more valuable than a sponsorship with the Reds so it would undoubtly push players salaries up some, but the way I see it now, the Yankees would spend $300 million right now if that's what it took.
Just my opinion but this could be a good thing in regards to the overall competitiveness of baseball and possibly bring a lot of teams up to where they can "afford" to spend more money.

Just a thought.

adampad

05-05-2004, 11:01 PM

Lets make our voices heard guys. Sign the petition:

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22897

Hoosier Red

05-05-2004, 11:16 PM

Just curious, what does more to hurt the integrity of the game,
Players shooting up with steroids or managers betting on baseball games, umpires who associate with and are in debt to known gamblers, or spider webs on the bases. It's not like they are moving the bases in, making the pitches come from a pitching machine, setting up a larger ball so that Jason Romano can hit it, or moving the walls in(oh wait they've already done that.)

What is this going to be taking away from the game?

For those who are complaining, do you have problems with ads on the outfield walls? How about along the boards at hockey or soccer games? Like anybody watches soccer.

smith288

05-05-2004, 11:21 PM

Rules state that the bases and the pitching rubber are to be white.

There is nothing in the rules that outfield walls cant have ads.

Either Selig changes the rules properly or end the stupid scam now.

SteelSD

05-05-2004, 11:32 PM

In the pipeline- MLB Comic Book Advertising Gimmicks:

1. Incredible Hulk Bat Night: Special green bats commissioned. When hitter becomes angry, bat grows to incredible size. MLB Rules Committee thinks this is a great idea to discourage Pitchers from throwing high tight fastballs and will consider this as a regular addition to ballgames beginning in 2004.

2. Daredevil Sonar Pitching: At random, a pitcher will be blindfolded before walking to the mound in an effort to mimic pitching with a Matt Murdock-like extrasensory ability. Dave Miley finds out that Jimmy Haynes actually pitches better this way and permenantly blinds him using radioactive tobacco juice. Unfortunately, Haynes strikes a batter on Incredible Hulk bat night and is bludgeoned to death with a green baseball bat the size of a Pinto.

3. Superman Hitter Night: All hitters will be able to wear head to toe flexible body armor to allow them to feel invincible- like the Man of Steel himself. Barry Bonds finds it odd that he requires no wardrobe changes.

4. Hellboy Helmet Night: Mike Mignola's popular underground hero comes alive as all hitters wear helmets with large red horns glued to the top. Baserunners like the intimidation factor so much that they sharpen the horns and begin sliding head-first into every bag. Ty Cobb rolls ever so slightly in his grave.

5. Spiderman Web Shooter Night: Attempting to make the game more fun on the bases, MLB allows all fielders to wear working copies of Spiderman's famous web shooters. When a baserunner attempts to advance, each fielder may fire their web shooter at the runner in an attempt to slow them down. Sean Casey finds that this actually makes him faster. This night discontinued when one 1B pulls so hard on the captive runner that he lifts him off the ground and is impaled by sharpened helmet horns.

6. Wolverine Claws Night: Fielders may not wear gloves. Instead, they are each given a pair of retractible claw attachments and may only field balls by impaling them on these razor sharp skewers. Tragically, Wily Mo Pena picks his noze in Right Field and lobotomizes himself.

7. Wonder Woman Lasso Night: One lucky female fan in each ballpark is given an exact duplicate of Wonder Woman's lasso and picks a single player who must tell the truth when entwined by it. Interestingly enough, both Derek Jeter and Mike Piazza are AWOL at their respective parks.

8. Conan the Barbarian Night: All players appear in only loincloths and use two handed broadswords at the plate. Juan Castro, unable to lift his sword, is still able to coax a bases loaded Walk to force in the winning run versus the Mets. Some lady named Creek is arrested for stalking Adam Dunn. So is Mike Piazza.

VR

05-05-2004, 11:32 PM

Brilliant. I'm sure he'll nominate himself for the Commissioner's award.

I'm not so sure this is an all out bad plan. Eventually all sports will have something of the sort implemented.

I agree. So far, scanning the responses, TRF is the only one saying he/she will boycott these games. There may not be a lot of upside other than 8-14 year old boys, but I don't see much downside either. Selig's job is to help increase the profitability of the game for the owners, while growing the game's image. I just don't see this hurting baseball's image on a permanent basis. As long as they keep ads off the uniforms (like the Japan games), this is not such a big deal to me.

919191

05-06-2004, 08:34 AM

Here it is. I wonder how much someone could get for one of these on eBay if someone could swipe one.

GAC

05-06-2004, 08:53 AM

If they also make the bases sticky, then maybe our pitchers will be able to hold runners better! :lol:

But I think it is a stupid idea. IMO, it just shows how idiots like Selig and Co. have no idea how to market the game... so they must come up with gimmicks.

GAC

05-06-2004, 08:54 AM

Here it is. I wonder how much someone could get for one of these on eBay if someone could swipe one.

None of our players know how to steal a base! :mhcky21:

Unassisted

05-06-2004, 09:00 AM

A member of Congress, George Nethercutt of Washington has writtten an open letter to Selig criticizing this move.

May 5, 2004

Allan H. (Bud) Selig
Commissioner of Major League Baseball
New York, New York 10167

Dear Commissioner Selig:

I am stunned by today’s reports that Major League Baseball is injecting advertisements onto baseball diamonds in ballparks across the country. For decades, fans have tolerated advertisements that encroach closer and closer to the baseball diamond, but to put ads on the actual bases goes one step too far.

Little leaguers deserve to see their heroes slide into bases – not ads. As a former minor-league baseball team owner myself, I believe such aggressive advertising undermines the character of America’s pastime at every level. Major League Baseball has a duty to keep baseball pure for future generations of Americans. By intruding on the baseball diamond itself, baseball’s profiteers are sacrificing too much.

The U.S. government recognizes the special contribution of baseball to our nation by granting MLB special anti-trust exemptions. This over-the-top commercialization of baseball undermines its value to our nation and potentially questions the need for MLB's special monopoly status.

At a time when so many Americans are risking their lives to protect our values and traditions, I would hope Major League Baseball would do everything possible to protect our national pastime. Before haphazardly placing advertisements on the baseball diamond, I hope you engage in a dialogue with fans. Please let me know if I can do anything to help you facilitate such a discussion.

Sincerely,

George R. Nethercutt, Jr.

Roy Tucker

05-06-2004, 09:06 AM

This is interesting.... I suppose they can afford it, but kudos to them...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1796247

ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees say they will not get caught in Spider-Man's web.

After Major League Baseball announced that ads for the movie "Spider-Man 2" will be placed atop bases during games from June 11-13, the Yankees quickly balked at the idea.

One of 15 teams at home that weekend, the Yankees insist they will put ads on the bases only during batting practice, and then just for one game, team spokesman Rick Cerrone said.

"We try to work with Major League Baseball," Lonn Trost, the Yankees chief operating officer, told the New York Daily News. "But if we think it's something that's not good for the Yankees and Yankee Stadium, we're not going to do it."

Trost told the paper that the Yankees, who host the Padres that weekend, would not allow the logo on the rubber of the pitching mound. The Spider-Man image on the on-deck circle, however, would stay throughout the game.

Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina is appreciative of his team's stance.

"Where do we go from here? Chico's Bail Bonds on us?" Mussina told the Daily News. "Somebody's making money. They're using every place they can to advertise."

Ironically, the Yankees are expected to be among the teams that benefit most from the promotion, at least from a financial stance.

Baseball will receive about $3.6 million in a deal negotiated by Major League Baseball Properties with Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Inc., a high-ranking baseball executive said on condition of anonymity.

The Yankees and Boston Red Sox will get more than $100,000 each, the team executive said, also on condition of anonymity. Most of the other 13 teams playing at home that weekend will get about $50,000 apiece, the team executive said.

Parkes said the amount a team receives depends on the level of its participation. Geoffrey Ammer, president of marketing for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, was not immediately available for comment, spokesman Steve Elzer said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

smith288

05-06-2004, 09:08 AM

Here it is. I wonder how much someone could get for one of these on eBay if someone could swipe one.

I wonder what purpose an ad of this size woudld serve? None of the fans can see it unless they have binoculars...only the position players and any possible baserunners will see the thing...

Its just an incredibly stupid idea. Plain and simple.

UKFlounder

05-06-2004, 09:19 AM

I wonder what purpose an ad of this size woudld serve? None of the fans can see it unless they have binoculars...only the position players and any possible baserunners will see the thing...

Its just an incredibly stupid idea. Plain and simple.

True, but maybe the hope is they'll be shown on TV a lot - at the start of the games as a novelty "Hey, look at this" and then during action in the game.

And in terms of the value on e-bay, it probably won't be much, once Bud gets the idea to see "Replica Spider-Man bases, just like the big leaguers used" for $50.00 at every ballpark & through "special promotional offers." Maybe teams will have a "Spider-Man base giveaway Night" or something like that, LOL. (Though maybe this provides some creative independent or minor league team owner an opportunity to make fun of this somehow.)

smith288

05-06-2004, 09:21 AM

I dunno UK, minor leagues go pretty low with the gimmicks but this might even be too low for them. Says alot about Selig.

TeamDunn

05-06-2004, 10:03 AM

I wonder what purpose an ad of this size woudld serve? None of the fans can see it unless they have binoculars...only the position players and any possible baserunners will see the thing...

Look at the *publicity* it has generated on this forum alone. Now, think of all the baseball forums, all the comic book forums...there's thousands (actually hundreds of thousands) of people right there that now have baseball and Spiderman on their minds if they were only fans of one before this.

Now, ESPN and all the other news outlets...all the towns with MLB teams will have lots of local coverage on the bases.

They have done what they set out to do...create a buzz. The Spiderman folks are spending what? 3-4 million on this ad campaign? TV ads for the last Friends episode are going for $2 million.

All of us talking about this have already given Spiderman and MLB their moneys worth.

:)

tremere

05-06-2004, 10:16 AM

This thread has prompted two thoughts from me. One being that the Yankees are basically saying "if it doesn't benefit us financially, we won't do it". How is putting ads on the bases during batting practice and "only one game" any different from putting the ads on the bases all season long? Sure, one might produce more ad exposure than the other, but the negative impact this is going to have in the long run is still there. If Steinbrenner truely felt that this was going aginst the scaredness of baseball, he would have declined altogether. Therefore, I think he has sold out to this just like Selig has.

The other thought I have is that I haven't seen any real protesting or boycotting displayed by fans in this thread. There are some "I'd like to flip off that sign of Selig" comments and a bunch of cowardly jokes made of the idea of putting ads on the bases, but no one is really standing up and saying "if this happens, I am done following the game at the Major League Baseball level".

The only way this isn't going to happen is for fans to stand up and boycott it. If you truely believe this kind of stuff shouldn't be happening in baseball, then don't go to or watch the games on television. Don't buy any MLB merchandise. Otherwise, you're just part of the problem, and can stick a lapel on your shirt saying "I sold out with Selig and I still have my baseball".

smith288

05-06-2004, 10:20 AM

The only way this isn't going to happen is for fans to stand up and boycott it. If you truely believe this kind of stuff shouldn't be happening in baseball, then don't go to or watch the games on television.

I can watch on TV, I just wont purchase any goods that are marketed during the games. Thats is a form of protest. Also, I havent bought MLB licensed stuff for well over two years and I dont plan on it.

smith288

05-06-2004, 10:22 AM

Maybe we can compile a list of advertisers during these games and write a letter to each of them saying we, the baseball fan, will actively boycott their product. That might cause the big spending advertisers to pressure Selig to end his dumb idea.

2001MUgrad

05-06-2004, 02:41 PM

the baseball fan, will actively boycott their product. That might cause the big spending advertisers to pressure Selig to end his dumb idea.

Wouldn't it be better to boycott a bad product than a bad idea?? Not that I think this is an all out bad idea. We'll see this a more common place in years to come. If the idea is bad so be it, but I think people would be better off to boycott a bad product. IE a bad baseball team that has been run into the ground or the movie Spider Man 2.

smith288

05-06-2004, 02:49 PM

Actually, that can be very effective jon. If you threaten a company with a boycott, even if their product is good, they may just push the MLB to say "We are losing business because of a paulty $40,000 (or something like that) for each team...are you KIDDING ME? Either you drop this idea or we have no choice but to stop buying your expensive ad space for fear of losing business."

It only works when a good movement is put into motion. Right now, its just a bunch of people whining (including me).